After accidentally setting his home on fire with loose batteries, a Prince Edward Island man is warning others to not make the same dangerous mistake.
Damien Morris says he tossed some ‘C’ and ‘D’ batteries in a drawer for future use after putting up his Christmas decorations. But the two male ends of the batteries connected and ignited a small fire in the drawer later that night.
Luckily, there was only smoke damage, but his story isn’t unique. Health Canada says it received more than 100 consumer reports over the last year involving batteries — everything from overheating to starting fires. In most cases, they say, people didn’t follow the instructions regarding charging or storing batteries.
The Canada Safety Council also warns that computers and other items with large batteries should not be charged on beds or couches.